Handbook of Meat Processing

138 Chapter 6

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Nitrite ppm

Nitrate ppm

Figure 6.12. Relationship of nitrite and nitrate concentrations in emulsion - type sausage, N = 48. (Adapted
from Dederer 2006 .)

Table 6.9. Nitrite and nitrate concentration in emulsion type sausage (Bologna/Lyoner) (72 ppm
nitrite added) after ultra - high - pressure application and storage of the unheated batter (adapted
from Honikel 2007 )

days 0 7 21 0 7 21 0 7 21

Treatment nitrite (mg/kg) nitrate (mg/kg) nitrite + nitrate (mg/kg)

control 54.3 47.1 39.3 15.15 19.5 26.2 69.45 66.55 65.5

400 MPa 53.3 46.4 37.7 15.8 22 26.95 69.05 68.4 64.6

600 MPa 53.0 44.8 37.2 16.15 23.85 29.1 69.1 68.65 66.25

800 MPa 52.3 44.7 37.7 17.5 23.95 26.6 69.75 68.65 64.25

• The pH must be low enough to produce
  NO + or metal ions must be engaged to form
  NO +.

As heated meat products are produced
from fresh meat (chilled or frozen), no free
amines are present. In dry - cured meat prod-
ucts with a long period of production, amines
can be formed, but the nitrite concentration
is rather low (see Fig. 6.11 and Table 6.8 ).
Thus, the formation of NO + is rather unlikely.
In products heated above 130 ° C, nitrosa-
mines can be formed. Fried bacon, grilled
cured sausage, and fried cured meat products
such as pizza toppings may experience condi-
tions that form nitrosamines. Table 6.10
shows the results of an investigation by
Deierling et al. (1997) where, of the foods
investigated, only beer and pizza exhibited

dimethyl - nitrosamine in detectable amounts.

Thus, nitrosamines occur only in small

amounts and they are easily avoidable by

proper frying, grilling, and pizza baking.

Jakszyn et al. (2004) published a database for

nitrosamines and other processing - related

residues in foods. Besides amines, amides

and unsaturated fatty acids or derivatives of

the latter can react with nitrite or its deriva-

tives. Fatty acids or their derivatives can form

alkylnitrites. Very little is known about their

presence and concentrations in meat prod-

ucts. (See the Jakszyn et al. 2004 database.)

In this context, it should be mentioned that

nitrosamines can be present in elastic rubber

nettings for meat products, which may con-

taminate the edible parts of meats such as

cooked ham (Helmich and Fiddler 1994 ;

Fiddler et al. 1998 ).